Silent
by Red Blaze 16
Summary: The Injustice League has captured the Justice League and it's up to Young Justice to rescue them. Batman's POV of "Rescue"; Part of the "Rescue" Universe.


_**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice...**_

Silent

By Red Blaze 16

Batman was angry and frustrated. The Justice League had been caught by a group of criminals that had previously been defeated by Young Justice. Well, that wasn't entirely true. While they used the same name, most of the Injustice League that the older heroes had faced that day were men and women the sidekicks hadn't met before. With the exception of Joker and Count Vertigo, it was a whole new team. A whole new team that had been ready for when the League arrived.

The defeat had come over two hours ago and, now, the League was held prisoner in a room in the Injustice League's base. The room was round in shape. A force field held the League, pressing them against the walls of the room. The only blank space was where a door was located on one side of the room. From where Batman was held, he could see that the door opened into a hallway. Whenever one of the criminals entered the room, he or she came through that door. From the ceiling, a large green crystal hung. As the force field glowed the same green color as the crystal, Batman thought that the crystal powered the force field.

Besides the force field, some of the more powerful League members wore collars. When Batman first woke up, he suspected the collars would suppress the powers of the Justice League. After Superman woke up and was unable to use any powers, it was confirmed. The collars appeared to be the same kind of collars that Belle Reve used with their prisoners. The heroes without powers didn't have any collars wrapped around their necks. Those League members, like Batman himself, were missing their tools and weapons. Those weapons weren't even in the room (Batman wondered where his belt was being held and if he could get to it). Some members were awake, while others still seemed to be unconscious.

During the battle, Superman believed that the criminals had been expecting the League to show, though Batman wasn't as sure. Yes, they used a Kryptonite net to capture Superman, just as they had used a speed trap for Flash and a fire trap for Manhunter, but those same traps would have also worked against Superboy, Kid Flash, and Miss M. So, was the Injustice League hoping for another round with Young Justice? Or were they really waiting to take out the Justice League?

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Batman turned his attention to the door. He noticed he wasn't the only hero looking toward the door. A shadow was cast in the doorway before the criminal entered. Count Vertigo stopped just inside of the room and smirked.

"We have brought you company," said the Vlatavian man. He then stepped aside to allow someone behind him to enter.

Sinestro entered the room with a golden cage made out of his yellow ring. The red skinned alien wearing a dark blue suit was using a ring very similar to the one worn by Green Lantern, except it emitted a yellow light. Sinestro placed the enclosure on the ground before the cage disappeared. With the cage gone, the heroes could see who had been held within it. The unconscious forms of Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad lay in the middle of the room.

"What did you do?" demanded Green Lantern. He tried to lean forward, but the force shield held him. The green clad hero could do little more than struggle and shift against the wall.

With a sneer, Sinestro ignored the question. Instead, the alien turned his back and left the room. For a moment, the room was quiet. Count Vertigo allowed the heroes to have a moment to look over the teenagers.

The Justice League examined the teenagers. They could see that wrists of the teenagers had been bound behind their backs. While the three Young Justice members were muddy, there didn't appear to be any other sign of injury.

"The stupid children thought that they could rescue you all," said Count Vertigo. He waved a hand toward Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad. "We caught these three as they were attempting to flee."

"Release them, Count," said Superman.

With a cold laugh, Count Vertigo turned his back to the heroes. "I will be back when they're awake," he said then left the room. As soon as the sound of his footsteps faded, the Justice League started to talk.

"I don't see any injuries," said Black Canary, as she shifted her head to the left than right, attempting to examine the teenagers from where she was held. "Why are they unconscious?"

"What were they thinking?" demanded Flash. His thoughts focused on his nephew and if the redhead was safe.

"I would say that they weren't," replied Wonder Woman. Her tone made it clear that she still opposed the idea of children fighting crime.

Narrowing his gaze, Batman examined the three younger heroes. Most would think that, because Young Justice was made up of teenagers, they would be reckless. Batman had worked more closely with the team than some of the other Justice League members. He suspected that the teenagers had a plan, especially as Robin and Aqualad, who tended to be the least reckless, were two of the ones caught.

With a groan, Aqualad began to stir. The leader of Young Justice shifted around, tensing his arm muscles and realizing that he was restrained, Aqualad opened his eyes and looked around.

"What were you kids thinking?" demanded Aquaman.

Shifting on the floor, the younger man scooted his body until he faced Aquaman. "My apologies, my King. It seemed a good idea at the time."

Batman noted the blond haired, dark skinned youth's words. There was something about Aqualad's tone or words that made Batman believe that, whatever the plan was, Robin was the creator of that plan.

"I hope this wasn't your idea of a rescue," commented Green Arrow.

While Count Vertigo had said that the teenagers had been captured during a rescue, that didn't mean the Count was telling the truth. Honesty and law breaking didn't tend to go hand in hand. Though Batman doubted the Count's words regarding capturing these three as they were retreating, he did believe that the teenagers had been attempting a rescue.

"Actually, it is," replied Superboy, who had also gained consciousness. Superboy glanced at Green Arrow before he looked at Aqualad.

The clone's words confirmed Batman's suspicion that Young Justice was trying to rescue the Justice League. Though how the teenagers knew the older heroes needed to be rescued, Batman had yet to figure out. The only teenager who hadn't woken up was Robin. Batman watched, silently.

"I think the link is broken," said Superboy. "It might have something to do with the collars."

Like some of the League members, Aqualad and Superboy wore collars. But instead of a force shield to restrain them, all three Young Justice team members wore binders on their wrists. Robin was the only Young Justice members who wasn't wearing a collar. While Superboy and Aqaulad had shifted on the floor so that they could face at least some of the League members, Robin was facing the door.

The Dark Knight watched his partner closely, noted the even rise and fall of the teenager's chest. Batman's attention was so focused on his partner, he saw when Robin's breathing hitched for a moment. Robin was waking up.

"Robin?" asked Aqualad, who had shifted his body so he could see his youngest teammate. "Robin, wake up."

"We in?" came the reply. The dark haired Boy Wonder was awake.

"Yeah, we're in," said Superboy.

"Are you telling me you **wanted** to be caught?" demanded Flash.

"Does your link work?" asked Aqualad, who seemed to ignore Flash's question.

At that comment, Batman understood the plan that Young Justice had created. Though Count Vertigo was positive that the rest of Young Justice had fled, the rest of the team was most likely very nearby. Possibly even in the base. Robin, Superboy, and Aqualad had allowed themselves to be taken prisoner.

Batman suspected that the plan had involved using the link that Miss M could create, which allowed the team to speak telepathically to each other. It was a form of communication Manhunter used with the League. The younger heroes gambled that, after being caught, they would still be able to use the link. Based on Aqaulad's question, Batman assumed that the collars interfered with Superboy and Aqualad being able to speak with Miss M and the other Young Justice members. But Robin wasn't wearing a collar.

Robin was silent for a moment. Batman realized that his partner was speaking with the other Young Justice members. Robin frowned. A moment later, the sound of footsteps could be heard from outside the room.

"We have company," said Robin.

Entering the room once more, Count Vertigo sneered down at the three teenagers on the floor before raising his gaze to the adults.

"Let them go, Vertigo," demanded Flash.

"COUNT Vertigo, peasant," replied the villain. "The rest of the team fled, like scared children."

"Children?" said Superboy, as he drew the villain's attention to himself. "Were we scared children when we whooped your ass on earlier missions?"

Furious, Count Vertigo turned his powers against the bound teenager. It was all Superboy could do not to throw up. Instead, the dark haired clone clenched his teeth and pressed his forehead against the floor.

"Enough, Count!" demanded Superman. If Batman had been able to, he almost would have applauded the blue and red clad boy scout. For once, Superman was taking an interest in Superboy.

A moment passed before Count Vertigo stopped attacking Superboy. The teenager took a breath than raised his head off the floor. Count Vertigo stared at the adult heroes, his eyes lingered on Superman, before shifting his gaze to look at all of the League.

"Did you think we would go easy on them?" demanded the villain. "Just because they are children?"

Before Superman or any other League member could reply, a laugh entered the room. A crazy laugh made by a demented man. The Joker entered the room. Dressed in a purple suit and green shirt, the Joker stopped in the doorway for a moment before he entered the room. Batman noted Robin's shoulders stiffen. If the Dark Knight had one wish, it was that his partner was not in the same room as that crazy clown.

When Robin had first come to live with Batman, Dick's sleep had been plagued with nightmares. The death of his family upset the boy whether awake or asleep. Over a period of a few months, the nightmares slowly faded away. But two years after Dick became Robin, his sleep was disturbed by something else. Or, someone else. The nightmares, once filled with horror and sadness at the death of the Graysons were now filled with a psychotic clown. It was the reason why Batman would sometimes pull Robin from cases that involved the Joker.

"Children can be more...fun, Count," said the Joker. His crazy eyes were on the teenagers on the floor, though Batman would lay odds that his eyes were more focused on Robin than the other two.

"Fun?" asked Count Vertigo.

"Oh yes," replied the Joker, as he continued to walk into the room.

Quietly, the clown chuckled to himself, as if enjoying a good joke. Or, more likely, already thinking about the mayhem that he would cause. Though the Injustice League was made up of far more powerful villains, none were as dangerous and sick as the Joker. And everyone in that room knew it. The Joker stopped walking, directly behind Robin, having walked a full circle around the teenagers on the floor.

"And so much better with an audience," mumbled the Joker.

The clown shifted his gaze for a moment and looked toward the Dark Knight. Batman knew that killer wanted to see him react. Like a child, always wanting the undivided attention of his parents, Batman suspected that the killer committed some acts just to see his reaction. Once, years earlier, Batman had reacted to Joker's threat toward Robin. Instead of making things better, it had made it worse and Robin was the one who suffered. Batman would not make the same mistake twice.

Not allowing his thoughts to drift into the past, Batman watched Joker closely. While the Dark Knight was aware of the others in the room, his partner and the killer clown had all of his attention. Likewise, the Joker seemed just as focused on the teenager at his feet and the Dark Knight held prisoner against the wall. The Joker knelt down behind Robin. The killer's hand moved and it appeared that he had taken something from his suit jacket. While Batman couldn't see what the Joker now had in his hand, he knew it was a weapon of some kind.

"You wanted to kill the kiddos in front of the do-gooders," said the Joker. "Let's start with this one."

A moment later, Robin was on his back, his arms pinned beneath him, and Joker was straddling the teenager. The weapon, a knife, was pressed against the underside of Robin's chin.

"No!" said Superman. It was echoed by Green Lantern and Flash. While Wonder Woman, Black Canary, and Green Arrow shouted out "Get off of him!" Batman said nothing. As much as he wanted to shout at Joker, he knew it would only encourage the demented clown to do something worse.

Joker changed where the knife tip was pressed against. Now, instead of the tip of the blade pressing against the Boy Wonder's chin, the blade's edge was lightly scraping against Robin's cheek.

"Afraid, Boy Blunder?" whispered the Joker.

"Hardly," replied the teenager.

Batman closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. While his partner's voice had come out strong, there was the smallest waiver. Robin was putting up a brave front, but Batman knew his son was scared.

"Will you sing for me?" asked the Joker.

The killer's voice was even quieter than before. A chill ran down Batman's spine and fear tightened his stomach. Not fear for himself, but fear for his son and what the Joker would do to him, if he wasn't stopped. Opening his mouth to shout at the Joker, the Dark Knight was startled when another hero appeared in the room.

Where a moment earlier had been an empty space, Miss M stood in the room. The red haired, green skinned alien stood opposite the door. Her eyes were bright green. "Vertigo!"

The room erupted into chaos. Joker looked up and over his shoulder at the same time Count Vertigo turned to confront Miss M with his power. A moment later, an arrow was shot at the crystal from the doorway. Standing in the door frame was Artemis, with Kid Flash at her side. The green crystal, which created the force shield, shattered. Wasting little time, Batman rushed toward Joker. Putting all his fear, anger, and frustration into one blow, Batman punched Joker off of his partner. The demented clown hit the wall across the room and didn't get up.

"Batman?" asked Robin.

Batman looked down at the teenager. The Dark Knight realized it was the first time his partner had spoken or looked at him since the teenager had woken up in the room. Though the mask covered Robin's eyes, Batman knew what he would see if he could look into Dick's blue eyes. Fear and relief.

"We'll talk later," replied Batman, as he helped his partner stand.

…...

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE: When I first wrote "Rescue", AmaraRae made a comment that it "seemed slightly off" that Batman did not comment or was "even...acknowledged" during the whole scene of Superboy, Robin and Aqualad being captured, Joker's arrival, and threats toward Robin. While I would like to mention that I never intended Batman to say anything during that scene, "Silent" is my attempt to fixed that lack of Batman.**_

 _ **So, why did I keep Batman quiet in "Rescue"? In "Robin: Year One", a graphic novel, Two-Face beat the hell out of Robin/Dick Grayson in front of Batman – Two-Face almost killed Dick. Before and/or after the beating, Batman spoke to Robin and/or Two-Face. But during the actual beating, Batman said nothing. Of course, that's comics and this is "Young Justice". That being said, I think Batman would be just as quiet with Joker, trying to not exacerbate the situation (knowing that some of the stuff Joker does is just for Batman's attention...like Joker said in "Under the Red Hood": "Did you really think I would stir up so much trouble and not make sure you knew it was me?"). Though I probably should have thrown a sentence or two in "Rescue" about Batman watching and saying nothing, I hope "Silent" makes up for the lack of Batman in my original story.**_


End file.
